


the animal (not) within

by sixbeforelunch



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-17
Updated: 2013-09-17
Packaged: 2018-01-11 21:13:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1177992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixbeforelunch/pseuds/sixbeforelunch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That's one of the worst ideas I've ever heard," Bruce said. "And I say this as a man who irradiated himself on purpose."</p>
            </blockquote>





	the animal (not) within

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ivorygates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivorygates/gifts).



"That's one of the worst ideas I've ever heard," Bruce said. "And I say this as a man who irradiated himself on purpose."

Natasha let herself smile a little. "We managed to dissuade them from pursuing that line of research."

"You blew up the lab," Bruce translated.

"Not...all of it."

Bruce snorted. "Trust me, enhanced senses are not what they're cracked up to be. Whatever poor sucker that AIM had lined up to test their gene therapy, he's better off. The brain can't process the input, everything is too bright, too loud, everything hurts, and you just want to--" He broke off.

Natasha lifted one eyebrow, very slightly. Bruce rarely opened up, and almost never to her. She had suspected for some time that he was getting better and better at recalling his Hulk state. She quietly filed this confirmation away, hating herself a little for the way she picked apart the tactical usefulness of the accidental revelation before she processed her concern for him.

"People have an odd obsession with gaining 'mysterious animal senses'," Natasha said.

"Probably an extension of totemic myth," Bruce murmured, his attention once again on his computer. "Black Widow. Hawkeye. We're not immune to the symbolism ourselves."

Natasha shrugged. "Some people think I have some sort of bizarre black widow complex. I've used sex to lure in my targets. Often. It earned me a somewhat cliche but otherwise useful nickname. I am not actually a spider, nor do I want to be."

"No particular urge to kill and eat Clint?"

Natasha snorted. "Not after mating."

"And the rest of the time?"

"Only when he leaves his dirty underwear in the bathroom after he showers."

Bruce grinned.


End file.
